A dominant feature of South India is the tropical climate. Lush evergreen vegetation, the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests are found along the Western Ghats. Tropical Dry Forests, the South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests and scrub lands Deccan thorn scrub forests are common in the interior Deccan plateau. The southern Western Ghats have high altitude rain forests called the South Western Ghats montane rain forests. The Malabar Coast moist forests are found on the coastal plains. The Western Ghats itself is a biodiversity hotspot.

Some of the most famous wildlife sanctuaries are found in South India. These include Project Tiger reserves such as Periyar National Park, Silent Valley National Park, Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, among many others. Important bird sanctuaries including Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Neelapattu and Pulicat Sanctuary are home to numerous migratory and local birds.

Important protected ecological sites include the Annamalai Hills and Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats and backwaters like the Pulicut Lake in Andhra Pradesh, Pitchavarum in Tamil Nadu and the famed backwaters of Kerala formed by the Vembanad Lake, the Ashtamudi Lake and the Kayamkulam Lake.

Anaimalai hills are a trekking destination in the Western Ghats. They are known for their abundant wildlife. This hill station borders the state of Kerala on the Southwest. On the south east, there is the Palghat Gap which is the only major discontinuity in the Western Ghats. The lower slopes of the hills now have many coffee and tea plantations as well as valuable teak forests

The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, located at the conjunction of the borders of Karnataka, Kerela and Tamilnadu, consists of the neighbouring Mudumalai National Park, Bandipur National Park, Nagarhole National Park and Waynad wildlife sanctuary is an important ecological feature in this region.